Hungary,s Óbuda university, on Tuesday, March 7, Launched a Tech and knowledge Hub Kenyan office to support students and organisations willing to study engineering and IT courses in Hungary.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, the university's manager in charge of East African developments, Tamás Kersánszki, stated that the university would work with industry leaders in the engineering and IT sector to formulate specialised courses.
Courses offered by Obuda University include mechatronics engineering, cyber security, computer science engineering and electrical engineering.
The hybrid and cooperative training would also allow students to work during training and intern at Kenyan and Hungarian companies collaborating with the University.
“The most important tasks of the Technology and Knowledge Center are to popularise the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, increase student mobility, develop joint ventures, start short-cycle training courses and encourage innovation investment,” Tamás stated.
Affirming the move, Prof. Levente Kovács, stated that several Kenyan students were already pursuing different courses at Obuda University.
"Ten Kenyan students enrolled at Obuda University, most of whom are supported by the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program. Five students are studying mechatronics engineering for a bachelor's degree.
“Two are studying electrical engineering while others are undertaking environmental engineering and information technology. Another student is pursuing a master's degree in business development,” Kovács revealed.
The hub was developed in collaboration with Audit Consulting Project Management (ACPM IT), a move the university stated would provide an avenue for future-oriented innovation and talent development.
“I believe that the hub will help Kenya's higher education system keep up with the rate of change in our societies through education and research, as well as create and develop talent and increase Kenya's competitiveness globally,” ACPM IT CEO Marton Miklos stated.
The move came after President William Ruto secured Ksh6.2 billion in funding from the Hungarian Government on March 7.
Moreover, Ruto also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora to establish an embassy in Hungary in the following two years.
"The embassy will help escalate the relations between our two countries," Ruto stated.
In the deal sealed by Ruto, Hungary will set up a comprehensive cancer management unit at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, in Nyeri.
"We see Kenya as the leading economic and political factor in East Africa," Speaker László Kövér stated.
"In the long term, with close university and company collaborations, we want to become a dominant market player in Kenya and the East African region," Prof. Levente Kovács, the university's vice-chancellor, added.
Hungary offers over 200 scholarships annually to graduates in Kenya, one of the highest in the European Union.
